Harness for carrying cement-bags.



J. F. ROSS.

HARNES$ FOR CARRYING CEMENT BAGS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1912.

1,129,732. Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

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JOSEPH F. ROSS, OF IPSWICH, MASSACHUSETTS.

HARNESS FOR GARRYING CEMENT-BAGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

Application filed September 20, 1912. Serial No. 721,377.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. Ross, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ipswich, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts,have invented new and useful Improvements in Harness for CarryingCement-Bags, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in harness for carrying bags ofcement and the like impalpable powders. The Portland cement used inbuilding operations is frequently packed in cloth bags, and usually hasto be carried by laborers from the car or boat in which it is shipped tothe temporary shelter where it is kept by the builder until needed foruse. This work is extremely disagreeable, and is also dangerous tohealth because the fine powder which sifts out from the bags gets intothe workmens clothes, ears, eyes and lungs.

It is the object of the present invention to provide means for men tocarry such bags conveniently and quickly without the handling of thebags that causes the clouds of dust; and to do so by means adapted toeither cloth or paper bags, and which permits the laborer to get and toput down his load without the employment of more labor to assist himthan is now required without such harness. These objects of theinvention and the other advantages incidental to the apparatus embodyingthe invention which is herein to be described, are attained by theapparatus shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is aperspective view of the apparatus in position for use; Fig. 2 is a viewin perspective of the cape portion of the apparatus; Fig. 3 is a sideelevation in section on a medial vertical line through the remainingportion of the apparatus, showing it in position for holding a bag; andFig. 4 is a side elevation similarly in section showing the same part ofthe apparatus in position to receive or to discharge a bag.

Referring to the drawings the apparatus is seen to be separable into twoparts, viz., a light flexible cloth cape, having a shoulder piece andstraps so that it is adapted to fit over the back and shoulders of alaborer, and to be held there conveniently; and a bag holder, readilyseparable therefrom, which is conveniently made of metal. The capeconsists of a piece of tight woven cloth fixed in position by two straps12 which pass across the breast and fasten behind the back; but forholding the same when the load is on it, two short rope handles 18 areprovided, one attached at each forward edge of the collar. A hook 14suitably fastened to the back of the collar is adapted to engage andhold the bag support now to be described.

In its preferred form the bag support comprises a frame having a top rod15 that extends horizontally across the wearers shoulders with a centralloop or ofi'set portion that engages the hook 14. From the ends of thishang side rods 16, the bottoms of which are joined by the horizontal rod17. To maintain this frame in shape and at the same time to support thewhole comfortably on the wearers back, flat rods crossing eachobliquely, as illustrated in Fig. 1, may be added. At the bottom of therod 17 is pivoted a frame 19 extending backward approximatelyhorizontally when the wearer is standing upright. The outer end of thisis held by stays 20 attached well up on side rods 16. Within thishorizontal frame is a movable ledge 21, made of wood, netting, canvas orother suitable material. In the drawing this is represented as made ofwood and is supported at its outer edge by a pivotal bearing 22 on frame19 about which it may swing from the position illustrated in Fig. 1 whenits inner or forward edge is pulled upward by the stays 23 which engageit. The upper ends of these stays 23 are attached to a bail 24 which ispivoted at the top of side rods 16 and extends backward horizontally,when the parts are in their normal position at rest and the wearer isstanding upright. The bail thus encircles the upper part of any bag thatis resting on the ledge 21. As this bail is pivoted at the top of siderods 16, and as the stays 23 are attached a little distance out from thepivot, the swinging of the bail upward about its pivots draws upward onthe stays 23 at the same time that the bail moves upward from its bagencircling position. Thus the inner edge of ledge 21, next the wearersback is lifted; and this tends to dump from the ledge any bag which isresting thereon. For raising this bail a cord 25, may extend forwardover the wearers shoulders, preferably in the form of a loop attached oneach side of the center.

The operation of the device is as follows: A laborer equipped with theharness backs up to the door of the freight car to receive a bag ofcement on his back in the manner customary when no harness is used. Ashe does so he draws forward on the cord 25 thus pulling the bail 24upward and for ward away from the ledge 21 leaving ample space for anattendant in the car to set the bag on the ledge. He then lets go thecord 25, and, grasping the hand ropes 14 and leaning forward so that theweight of the bag comes on his back, proceeds to his destination. Inthis action the release of cord 25 lets the bail 24: swing backward anddownward, being drawn both by its own weight and by the weight of thebag of cement which is then resting on the raised ledge 21. In itsdescent this bail swings over to the outside of the bag of cement,v theledge 21 settles down to a position substantially at right, angles tothe wearers back, and, as the man leans over, the weight comes uponhisshoulders and back in a convenient posi tion for carriage. The resultis that by the simple operation described the bag is inclosed in theharness, resting on its bottom firmly instead of being suspended fromthe top, and is prevented from falling off by the bail which holds itstop and by the chains 23 and 20 which are stretched at its side. Uponarrival at destination the workman pulls the cord 25. This raises thebail and at the. same time automatically tips the ledge 21 and dumps thebag off. It will be seen, therefore, that the operation of the devicerequires no assistance from. the attendant in the car, except to placethe bag upon its .ledge; that the bag is settled and fastened in placeby a simple act of the man who is to carry it; and that the releasing ofthe bag is another simple act and requires no attendant. While the bagis being carried, its weight acting through the ledge 21 draws thecbail24 downward so that it presses against the bag and holds the upperportion of the bag frictionally and thus prevents it from swaying orslipping sidewise. This bail is preferably a flat metal strap, becauseof the stiffness of metal, so that when the bail is raised, by pullingat the points where the cords 25 are attached, all parts of the bailarelifted together instead of some re'-- maining engaged or sunk into thebag, as may happen if a rope bail be used. The side stays 20,23, areconveniently made-of inexpensive punched chain, because such is bothflexible and inextensible. The bottom frame 19 is pivoted to the uprightframe in order to make the harness collapsible for convenience intransportation or storage when not in use; and the stays 20 are flexiblefor the same reason.

In the drawing the protective cloth is represented with its dimensionssomewhat abbreviated in order not to cover other parts that need to beseen, for clearness of illustration, but it is obvious that this may bemade of any desired dimensions, and that other variations may be madefrom the precise form illustrated, without departing from the scope ofthe invention.

I claim:

1. A harness for carrying bags and the like including in combination aledge extending backward from the wearers back; means permitting saidledge to be tipped backward to dump a bag resting thereon; a bailextending backward from the upper part of the wearers back, adapted toencircle the upper part of said bag and to swing upward therefrom; meansholding said ledge and bail in position and ties connecting togetherthose parts of the bail and the ledge which move upward together.

2. A harness for carrying bags and the like including in combination aledge extending backward from the wearers back; a bail extendingbackward from the upper part of the wearers back, and adapted toencircle the upper part of said bag, and means extending from the bailforward'of the wearer for lifting said bail.

3. A harness for carrying bags orthe' like including in combination aledge extending backward from the wearers back;

means to hold in position a bag resting on said ledge; and meansextending forward of the wearer adapted to change the'angle of saidledge with respect to the remainder of the harness to dump a bag restingthereon.

4. A harness for carrying bags or the like including in combination aprotective cape adapted to fit on a mans back; a stout collar therefor;a supportdepending from the collar over the cape and adapted to hold abag; and means extending over the wearers shoulders forward fromthe'colla'r, adapted to be grasped by the hands to maintain said collarand bag support in place.

5'. A harness for carrying bags or the like including in combinationaprotective cape adapted to fit on a mans back; a stout collar therefor;a ledge extending backward 6. A harness for carrying bags or the likeincluding in combination a ledge extending backward from the 'wearersback, a pivotal support therefor at its outer edge,

extending forward from the and means adapted to be actuated by thewearer to lift the inner edge of the ledge, thereby tipping it backward.

7. A harness for carrying bags or the like including in combination aledge extending backward from the wearers back, a pivotal supporttherefor at its outer edge, and means adapted to be actuated by thewearer to lift the inner edge of the ledge, thereby tipping it backward,a bail set at a distance above the ledge, extending backward andpivotally supported at its inner ends; and ties connecting the bail andledge, whereby the outer edge of the bail and the inner edge of theledge move up and down together.

8. A harness for carrying bags or the like including in combination aframe extending parallel to the wearers back; a ledge and a bailextending backward from the bottom and top respectively of the frame,each being pivotally connected to the frame to fold the apparatus; andmeans adapted to be grasped by the hands of the wearer to tip the ledgebackward to dump a bag therefrom.

9. A harness for carrying bags or the like including in combination aframe extending parallel to the wearers back; a ledge and a bailextending backward from and pivotally connected to the bottom and toprespectively of the frame, to fold the apparatus; means adapted to begrasped by the hands of the wearer to tip the ledge backward to dump abag therefrom; and

flexible ties at the sides of the frame controlling the position of theledge.

10. A harness for carrying bags or the like including in combination afabric adapted to extend downward from the level of a mans collar; aledge projecting backward from the lower part of the fabric and adaptedto underlie and uphold a bag resting loosely upon it; ties connected tothe fabric near thelevel of the collar and extending forward for the manto hold the harness in place; and ties extending backward and downwardto the sides of the ledge to support the projecting part of the ledge.

11. A harness for carrying bags or the like including in combination anapproximately impervious flexible fabric adapted to extend upward anddownward from the level of a mans collar; a projection backward at thelower part of the fabric and adapted to underlie and uphold a bagresting loosely upon it; ties connected to the fabric near the level ofthe collar and extending forward for the man to hold the harness inplace; and ties extending backward and downward to the sides of saidprojection to support it at a distance behind the mans back.

Signed by me at Boston, Mass, this 31st day of August, 1912.

JOSEPH F. ROSS.

Witnesses:

MARY A. OBRJEN, J osnrn T. BRENNAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. G.

